Relief-valve for motors.



PATENTED MAR. 31, 1903. 0. s. 0011B.

RELIEPVALVE FOR MOTORS.

APPLIUATION FILED OUT. 24, 190 0. RENEWED FEB. 9, 1903.

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No. 724,262. PATENTED MAR. 31:1903.

0.S.GOL E. RELIEF VALVE FOR MOTORS.

APPLICATION FILED 00124, 1900. RENEWED FEB. 9 1903 NOMODEL. 3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

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No. 724,262. PATENTED MAR. 31, 1903. G.S.GOLE.

RELIEF VALVE FOR MOTORS. APPLIOATION FILED 00124, 1900. RENEWED r22. 6. 1903.

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UNITED STATES PATENT d nce.

CHARLES S. COLE, OF BRIDGEPORT, CONNECTICUT.

RELIEF-VALVE FOR MOTORS.

SPEOIFIGATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 724,262, dated March 31, 1903. Application filed October 24, 1900. Renewed February 9,1903. serial No. 142,605. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES S; COLE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Bridgeport, in the county of Fail-field and State of Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Controlling Mechanism for Motors; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention= relates to improvements in controlling mechanism for motors adapted for use in connection with locomobiles, and is more particularly designed as an improvement in the form of controlling mechanism disclosed in my pending application, Serial No. 20,326.

In the form of motor covered by the pend ing application referred to means are provided for effecting a clearance of the cylinders of the steam or other motive agent contained therein after the supply has been out OE, and the controlling mechanism employed with this form is such that both the supply and the exhaust can be completely out off in order that a cushion will be provided for the pistons, so that the motor may be locked against movement, and thus be quickly brought to a stop in cases of emergency. While in such cases this feature is highly desirable and advantageous, the same does not, however, provide for a prompt clearance of the cylinders, and hence when it is desired to coast the speed of the motor is retarded by the cushioning of the pistons incident to the accumulated steam in the cylinders.

It is therefore the object of the present invention to combine with the controlling mech-' anism covered by my application hereinbe fore referred to simple and efficient means for effecting a prompt clearance of the motor cylinders and to so arrange such means in relation to the means for effecting a gradual clearance thateither the former or the latter may be employed, according to the conditions under which the motor is running.

A further object of the invention is the provision and arrangement of the means for effecting the prompt clearance in such relation to the means for eifecting the gradual clearance that if it should become necessary to bring the motor to a quick stop the same may be readily efiected.

, With these general objects in view and others which will appear asthe nature of the improvements is better understood the invention consists substantially in the novel construction, combination, and arrangement of parts,as will be hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a sectional plan View of. a motor embodying the herein-described controlling mechanism. Fig. 2 is a similar view, on an enlarged scale, of one of the cylinders, the piston arranged therein, and the controlling mechanism. Figs. 3, 4, 5, and 6 are end elevations of one of the pistons and illustrating the position of the universal controlling-plate under varying conditions. Fig. 7 is a vertical sectional view of the piston on the line 7 7, Fig. 5, and taken at right angles to Fig. 2. Fig. 8 is a fragmentary elevation illustrating an arrangement of one of the petcocks and'its actuating mechanism. Y

Referring to the drawings, the numeral 1 designates a cylindrical casing which is pierced axially by a hollow shaft 2, to which is connected a hollow wrist, and said wrist in turn is connected to a series of radially-arranged hollow piston-rods 3, each of which is provided at its outer end with a spherical hollow head 4, seated in a spherical socket 5, which is formed in a piston 6. The pistons 6 are arranged and adapted to operate in a a series of radially-arranged cylinders 7,

-; formed, preferably, integral with the casing 1 and projecting therein, and each of said cylinders is open at its inner end and has its outer end closed through the medium of a head 8.

The construction of the pistons and the adjacent parts is preciselythe same in all of thecylinders, and hence it is necessary to describe but one of the same, such description being applicable to the entire series. Proceeding, therefore, with the description of the elements mentioned, the numerals 9 and 10 designate a pair of diametrically-arranged ports formed in the piston6 and extending parallel with the axis thereof. The head 4 is likewise provided with a port 11, axially alined with the piston-rod 3 and designed to deliver steam or other motive agent to the ports 9 or 10, according to the directionin which the motor is running. The ports 9 and 10 are likewise designed to deliver the motive agent, through the means hereinafter referred to, to the interior of the cylinder 7, and in order that the motive agent may be exhausted therefrom the head 4 is provided with a pair of diametrically opposite exhaust-ports 12 and 13, which are adapted to be brought into coincident relation with the ports 9 and 10 during the lateral oscillation of the pistonrod and its head. It will be observed, however, that a sufficient interval is provided between the ports 12 and 13 and the port 11 so that the face-sections let and 15 of the head at will lie opposite to and close the ports 9 and 10 when the piston is at either limit of its stroke.

Mounted upon the outer end of the piston 6 is a revoluble controlling plate 16, which plate is held upon the piston 6 through the medium of a retainingring 17, having an overlapping flange 18 for engaging the controlling-plate 16, and said ring is secured upon the piston-head 6 by means of screws 19 or in any other desired manner. The plate 16 is provided with an eccentrically-arranged port 20, which port is adapted to be brought into coincident relation with the ports 9 and 10, according to the direction in which it is desired the motor shall operate, and for effecting this a stem 21 is connected to the plate 16, which stem extends through an axial opening 22, formed in the head 8, and is of sufficient length to project into an auxiliary casing or cylinder 23, arranged at the outer end of the cylinder 7. A stuffing-box 21 surrounds the stem 21 at the opening 22 in order to prevent leakage, and said auxiliary casing or cylinder 23 is provided with a terminal flange 25, coacting with a bearing-flange 26, bolted or otherwise suitably secured to the stuffing-box 24.- in orderthat the casing 23 may be rotatably mounted thereon, ball-bearings 27 being employed for reducing the friction between the flanges 25 and 26. The stem 21 carries at its outer end a disk 28, having oppositely-projecting lugs 29, adapted to slide within longitudinal grooves 30, formed at the interior of the casing or cylinder 23, and through the medium of said lugs the disk 28 is held against rotation within said casing or cylinder.

As has been stated, the rotation of thecontrolling-plate 16 is accomplished through the medium of the stem 21, the disk 28, and the casing or cylinder 23; but in order that the controlling-plates of all the pistons may be operated synchronously a reversing-ring 31 surrounds the casing 1 and is provided adjacent to the casings or cylinders 23 with rackteeth 32, the latter meshing with segmental teeth 33, formed upon said casings or cylinders. The latter are thereby adapted to be rotated by the reversing-ring 31 according to the movement of the latter.

The foregoing construction is fully illustrated and described in my pending application, Serial No. 20,326, and as the operation is fully set forth in such application it is not deemed necessary to here recite the same; but it will be noted at this point that when the ports 20 of the controlling-plates 16 are moved out of coincidence with the ports 9 and 10 of the pistons both the ingress of the motive agent to the cylinders and the egress of the same therefrom is entirely cut off, so that the accumulated steam or other motive agent in the cylinders acts as a yielding cushion for the pistons. To provide for the gradual clearance of the cylinders of this accumulation of steam or other motive agent, each of the cylinders is provided with a petcock 3% adjacent to its outer end, which petcocks are connected through suitable connections 34: with the reversing-ring 31, so that when the latter is operated to rotate the controllingplates 16 to cut off the ingress of the motive agent to the cylinders the petcocks will be opened, and thus afford communication with the exterior, whereby the gradual clearance of the cylinders is accomplished. This construction is also shown in my pending application, Serial No. 20,326. It is, however, the purpose of the present invention, as before premised, to combine with the means for effecting the gradual clearance of the cylinders suitable other means for efiecting a prompt clearance thereof or such that the accumulated motive agent within the cylinders will be exhausted very speedily, and thus dispense with the yielding cushioning of the pistons, as when the motive agent is being grad ually exhausted. To the accomplishment of this end recourse is had to the following construction and which is clearly shown in Figs. 3 to 7, inclusive: The controlling-plate 16 of each piston is provided with an auxiliary exhaust-port 35, which port is in the form of an arcuate slot and is arranged adjacent to the port 20, but at the exterior thereof. Formed on the inner side of each of the plates 16 and arranged adjacent to the ends of the auxiliary port 35 is a pair of stop-lugs 36, and said lugs are received by and move within circular recesses or grooves 37, formed in the outer ends of the pistons 6, said recesses or grooves extending almost entirely around the ends of the pistons. Each of the pistons 6 is provided at a point intermediate of the ports 9 and 10 and within the groove 37 with what is termed a stationary auxiliary exhaust-port 38, in contradistinction to the movable exhaustports 12 and 13 of the heads 4, said auxiliary port exhausting into the interior of the easing 1. It will thus be seen that when the port 35 of the plate 16 is brought into coincident relation with the stationary port 38, as

l in Fig. 5, Figs. 3 and 4 illustrating the position of the plate When the motor is running forward and backward, the ingress and egress of the motive agent to and from the cylinders through the ports 9 and 10 is cutoff and that by reason of the area of the ports 35 and 38 such accumulation will be promptly exhausted therethrough, thereby dispensing with the yielding cushion occasioned by the accumulation of the motive agent, as would be the case should the controlling-plate 16 be in the position shown in Fig. 6, wherein the ports 9, 10, and 38 are entirely closed and in which position the motor is locked. With the plate positioned as in Fig. 5 it is obvious that the exhaust will be almost instantaneous, so that there is nothing to retard the movements of the pistons 6, and the latter will therefore continue operating under the impetus attained when the motor was Working under full pressure. If, however, it is desired that the exhaust from the cylinders shall only be gradual, the plate 18 of each piston is moved to the position shown in Fig. 6, and in this position the exhaust as under normal conditions is prevented, and the only channel through which the accumulated motive agent may discharge to the exterior of the cylinders is through the petcocks 34, the passages of which are much smaller than the ports 35 and 38. In the operation of the controllingplates 18 the stop-lugs 36 are adapted to contact with the ends of the grooves or recesses 37, and thereby limit the degree of rotation of the controlling-plates.

From the foregoing description it will be seen that the herein-described invention provides means whereby a double automatic clearance of the cylinders may be had and which clearance may be either gradual or prompt, and with the use of the same it will also be seen that the cylinders may be cleared, so that the pistons will in no wise he retarded and the vehicle thereby enabled to freely coast, and, on the other hand, it is apparent that should it be desired to bring the vehicle to a stop the same may be accomplished by resorting to the gradual exhaust in lieu of the prompt clearance.

While the form of the invention is what at the present time is believed to'be a preferable embodiment thereof, I desire it to be distinctly understood that I do not limit myself thereto, as it is obvious that various changes may be resorted to, and the right is therefore reserved to modify or vary the invention as falls withinthe spirit and scope of the claims and as experiments and use may necessitate.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new, and desired to be secured by Letters Patent, is

1. In a motor of the class described, a cylinder, a piston, a controlling mechanism cooperating with the piston and comprising means for efiecting a prompt clearance of the cylinder after the motive agent has been cut off.

2. In a motor of the class described, a cylinder, a piston, a controlling mechanism, located within the cylinder and cooperating with the piston, said controlling mechanism comprising means for effecting a prompt clearance of the cylinder after the motive agent has been cut ofi.

3. In a motor of the class described, a cylinder, a piston, a controlling mechanism cooperating with said piston and comprising means for eifecting a prompt clearance of the cylinder after the motive agenthas been cut off, and means, independent of said controlling mechanism, for effecting a gradual clearance of the cylinder.

4. In a motor comprehending a cylinder, a piston, and a rotary controlling member cooperating with the piston, and comprising means for efiecting the prompt exhaust of the cylinder, in contradistinction to means for eftinction to means for effecting a gradual ex.-

haust thereof.

7. In a motor comprehending a cylinder, a piston, and a controlling member arranged within the cylinder, means for efiecting the prompt exhaust of the cylinder, and means for eifecting a gradual exhaust thereof.

8. In a motor comprehending a cylinder, a piston, and a controlling member arranged within the cylinder and carried by the piston, means for effecting a prompt exhaust of the cylinder, in contradistinct-ion to means foreffecting a gradual exhaust thereof.

9. In a motor comprehending a cylinder, a piston, and a rotary controlling member arranged within the cylinder and carried by the piston, means for effecting a promptexhaust of the cylinder, and means for effecting a gradual exhaust thereof.

10. A motor comprising a cylinder and piston, means for supplying a motive agent to the cylinder, a controlling mechanism cooperating with the piston and comprising means for effecting the normal exhaust prior to the cutting off of the motive agent from the motor, and also means independent of the nor mal exhaust, for effecting either the gradual or prompt clearance of the cylinder as desired.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

CHARLES S. COLE. 

